Predictive Control in Process Engineering: From the Basics to the Applications

Describing the principles and applications of single input, single output and multivariable predictive control in a simple and lively manner, this practical book discusses topics such as the handling of on-off control, nonlinearities and numerical problems. It gives guidelines and methods for reducing the computational demand for real-time applications. With its many examples and several case studies (incl. injection molding machine and waste water treatment) and industrial applications (stripping column, distillation column, furnace) this is invaluable reading for students and engineers who would wish to understand and apply predictive control in a wide variety of process engineering application areas.

Robert Haber had studied electrical engineering at the Budapest University of Technology, where he also has received the Ph.D. in control theory. He is currently head of the Laboratory for Process Automation in the Faculty of Process Engineering, Energy and Mechanical Systems at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. His research interests include process automation, experimental identification, model based control and intelligent process data analysis.

Ruth Bars graduated at the Electrical Engineering Faculty of the Budapest University of Technology, Hungary, where she has gained also her Ph.D. degree. Currently she is associate professor at the Department of Automation and Applied Informatics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Her research interests are in predictive control and in developing new ways of control education. He was involved in IFAC International Federation of Automatic Control as Technical and Coordinating Committee chair.

Ulrich Schmitz studied chemical engineering and plant design at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. Prior to this he was working as an operator in a petrochemical plant. From 2001 till 2005 he was a scientific assistant at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences and took part in a cooperative doctoral project between the Universities in Cologne and Budapest. In 2007 he received his Ph.D. from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Since 2005 he has been working as an APC technologist for Shell Deutschland Oil at the Rhineland Refinery in Germany.